TFP: Running Free
by Blackhooves
Summary: Do not let your courage falter, or you smile fade for they are what keep you going in the darkest of times. Even when all is lost, all is destroyed, and all is taken you must not fall. But if you do, pick yourself up and keep Running free. (Delia/Running Free and the cover art belong to me.) AU Rewrite Rated T for mature themes and slight cursing.


TFP: Running Free

Prologue

**_Author's Note - Yes, this is the new version of TFP: Running Free. Yes, the old version is being discontinued in favor of the new version. No, you may not use the cover image for anything at all. No, my characters may not be used in any fashion by anyone at all, besides myself. If you want to do a fan art piece, ask me and I'll give you the specifics, otherwise, no._**

**_CatFireFlareGirl - Thank you so much for being my beta reader! I really do appreciate all that you have done for this story!_**

**_Readers and Reviewers - Thank you so much as well for reading and reviewing the old version of this story in the past! Please do keep up with it and read this story! New chapters will be coming soon enough! Any ideas, suggestions, and questions should be directed either in a PM to me, or in a review of the story! Thank you again!_**

**_Disclaimer - I do not own the Transformers, Transformers Franchise, or anything attributed to the Transformers or Transformers Franchise._**

* * *

After what me and Freedom saw that day out in the plateaus and backwoods of Jasper Nevada, many things began to change. Who's freedom? Oh…he's my horse. His name is Running Free, but I call him Freedom for short; mainly because he _is_ my freedom.

He's a Kiger Mustang, like that one wild horse from that movie…I can't recall its name.

But that day on our last ride together, that last run of freedom that we shared, was the day that I learned about them.

* * *

We had long since moved from Oklahoma to Nevada around the time that I had turned six. Brining Freedom along with us, we settled into a ranch that had become run-down through hard times and no income. It was actually smaller than our last home, but it didn't need to be big at all. My father was now running a small tack shop up in downtown Jasper. A small town, but still large enough to not be considered a gas stop. Alongside the tack shop, we sold some of our merchandise online; my mother took care of that at home.

Now me? I was usually found at the kitchen table finishing up my homework. My parents didn't much want to put me into the public school considering how far we had moved, so for the time I was being homeschooled by an in-home tutor. I loved those years; since school was only about 3 hours a day and homework was never that big of a problem for me, I got to spend the rest of that time out back with my Freedom. He was always there, waiting for me at the fence line when I was finished. My mother told me sometimes that he would wait there all day, just for me to come out of the house and give him a pat.

Around my senior year, my family fell on hard times, not so hard enough that we had to give up too much, but enough that I had to go to public school. We could no longer afford homeschooling at this point because of the economic recession, but I didn't mind that. Just so long as I got my education I was happy, and that I still got some time to spend with Freedom.

That first day of school wasn't too bad, long but not bad. There weren't too many seniors around at Jasper high since the town was so small, but the ones that were there weren't usually too bothered. Bullying wasn't necessarily abundant, but it still did exist, mainly in the form of a hot rod driving sophomore named Vince. Even he tried to pick on me on that first day, but a practiced glare from me and it stopped at that.

That same day however I did make a new friend. His name is Jack, Jackson Darby. A sophomore as well, but utterly sweet. He's akin to one of those rare people who is the opposite gender, and is everything that a best friend could ever be, especially in your eyes. It was around lunch time when he found me by myself. Myself nibbling on a sandwich, he planted himself at the opposite end of the table. Twiddling his thumbs he turned his face up at me and smiled, "Hey…I uh…noticed you were sitting by yourself. Are you new around here?"

I smiled and put the sandwich down.

"Not exactly. I've lived around here a while, but I am new to the school. I was homeschooled up until this year."

His eyes widened a bit, "Oh, really? Wow…kinda strange that I haven't seen you around then."

I chuckled lightly, and holding out a hand across the table, I said, "The name's Delia. You may not recognize me, but you know the tack shop over downtown?"

He shook my hand, "Jack, and you mean the one just down the block from the hospital?"

I nodded, "That's the one. My parents have owned and run it ever since we moved here."

Quirking an eyebrow, he leaned back in the chair a bit, "That store has been around for a while though…"

"Well…it would make sense that it's been here a while; it's been in business since around '03."

He put a hand behind his head, "Wow…when you mean a while, you mean it."

I rolled my eyes, "I'm not some old fart bowling with dinosaurs…though I am a senior."

Tilting his head, he leaned forward a bit more, "A senior? Wow…cause you look like a-"

"Sophomore?"

He nodded.

I smiled once more, "I get that a lot…"

The bell rang soon after, announcing our transition from Lunch back to class. Picking up my garbage and throwing it in a trash bin, I stood up.

"Well it was nice to meet you Jack. You mind if I join you for lunch tomorrow?"

He smiled and gave a nod while his hands went to his pockets "Sure. See you tomorrow then!"

With a bit of a hunched stature he walked off to his next class.

After that first day, I'd been having lunch with Jack every day since then. He's a great friend, best one I've had in a long time, excluding the residential friend I have named Freedom. Not too long after that though he somehow acquired this sleek blue motorcycle with odd pink highlights that actually seemed to go nicely with its paint job. I'd once asked for a ride, just a ride home, but his bike seemed a bit 'temperamental' that day because just as I asked, the bike went in a few second reverse.

I'd shrugged that off since then, until me and Freedom went for that ride; when we saw them.

* * *

Freedom was already tacked and ready to go that day when I had gotten home; I still need to thank my mom for that. Dropping my backpack by the staircase and heading to the stable, there he was waiting on a lead with my mom.

Smiling, she handed the reins to me and took off the lead. With a wave of her hand, and no other kind of farewell then that, we were gone. Kicking his sides gently, we went off into a gallop, jumping the fence gate and thundered off into the desert. Freedom had always been fast, and with that endurance the Mustang was well-known for, he could keep going like his Iron cousin.

Like a Celtic drum, his hooves beat the ancient earth with his tune as we ran. Sparrows among the sage scattered at our approach and with a whooping call, a hawk overhead veered off to find food elsewhere. It had been a while since either of us had let loose like this, but it was a very welcome thing as we ran. After a few minutes Freedom slowed down to a trotting walk, hopping over logs here and there, but keeping a slow steady pace all the same.

In truth, we'd explored this place many a time, but never had we gone into the plateaus behind the ranch. Today, we would make them a part of our territory. Cantering along, his hooves almost seemed to give off a three-step sound now, with that little extra grace note that tailed the three-step. Upon entering the path between the towering sentinels, it was here that we let loose once more. From a three-step canter to a drumming gallop we went, and boy did we enjoy it.

With deep breaths, a flurry of thundering hooves, and a scattering of birds, we ran within the confined walls of the plateaus. Our trek echoed along the ancient rocks, but nothing would have readied us for what we would see next. At a full-tilt gallop we came around a tight bend. Almost sliding into the wall, we barely scraped by, and almost ran into something of a very other-worldly nature.

Pulling hard on the reins, Freedom reared up, barely inches from the looming metal giant. Barreling almost straight into its foot definitely attracted the titan's attention. Slowly side-stepping away, Freedom immediately became wary and skittish. Glancing over its shoulder, the giant looked at us with a double red visor. It was then that the titan turned fully towards us, away from a large mine-cart looking contraption filled with glowing blue crystals. With its double visor glowing dementedly at us, it transformed its right hand and forearm into a futuristic blaster.

We didn't give it much more thought, but with a sharp tug of the reins and a kick, we were off once more, galloping now for our lives. The sound of the blaster charging rang in my ears along the echoed foot-falls of the metal titan. With speed, we did not have the advantage considering the long loping steps the titan could take; we however did have the advantage of size over it in the confined space.

_Boom, Boom_, echoed the footfalls of the titan, and those same steps came to haunt us as we were cornered into a dead-end. Turning Freedom to face the titan it came at us but stopped short of stepping on us. Pointing the blaster at us both, its double visor still glowing, the sound of the blaster charging rang true once more. It was either ashes or dust, and we chose the dust.

A swift kick and Freedom was galloping once more. Taking a detour towards our original route, we made our swift getaway as quick as we possibly could. With improbable corners taken at break-neck speeds, the robot had a slightly harder time keeping up with our renewed attempts at escape. Unfortunately, this wasn't enough.

The robot did catch up once we hit that last stretch towards home, an open stretch mind you. It was still a good mile to the ranch from here, and Freedom was beginning to run out of steam. As we approached the open desert I gave Freedom another nudge, begging him to go faster, as fast as he could for this last leg of the chase. However, he could only slow down.

A flash of the metal titan's cannon, a scattering of the earth before my eyes and a scream utterly human, but belonging only to Freedom. What came next was a flash of pink and blue, a battle cry, and then darkness.


End file.
